Duterte signs Philippine Mental Healt…

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PHILIPPINES

Duterte signs Philippine Mental Health law

(2nd UPDATE) 'Help is Enally here,' says Senator Risa Hontiveros, author and principal
sponsor of the landmark measure that provides affordable and accessible mental
health services

Camille Elemia
@CamilleElemia

Published 11:34 AM, June 21,

2018
Updated 10:30 PM, June 21,
2018

MENTAL HEALTH. The Department of Health reports that one in

https://www.rappler.com/nation/205425-duterte-signs-mental-health-law-services-philippines 05/09/2019, 9?19 AM

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 5 Filipino adults has some form of mental illness, topped by
schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. File photo

MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) – President Rodrigo

Duterte has signed the landmark Mental Health Law,
which would provide affordable and accessible mental
health services for Filipinos

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday, June 21, lauded

Duterte, saying the signing of Republic Act 11036 would
“set the path for the government’s policy in integrating
mental healthcare in the country's public healthcare
system.”

"Help is Enally here. The Mental Health Law cements

the government’s commitment to a more holistic
approach to healthcare: without sound mental health
there can be no genuine physical health," said
Hontiveros, author and principal sponsor of the bill.

Aside from Hontiveros, Senate President Vicente Sotto

III, Senators Loren Legarda, Antonio Trillanes IV, Paolo
Begino Aquino IV, Juan Edgardo Angara, and Joel
Villanueva also authored the measure.

The law would secure the rights and welfare of persons

with mental health needs and mental health
professionals; provide mental health services down to
the barangays; integrate psychiatric, psychosocial, and
neurologic services in regional, provincial, and tertiary
hospitals; improve mental healthcare facilities; and
promote mental health education in schools and
workplaces.

"No longer shall Filipinos suffer silently in the dark. The

people's mental health issues will now cease to be seen
as an invisible sickness spoken only in whispers,”
Hontiveros said.

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 Following the signing of the law, Angara renewed his
call to PhilHealth to extend its coverage to mental
health treatment.

“While such enactment is a huge step in making mental

health care more affordable, accessible and equitable,
we renew our call to PhilHealth to cover fees for
psychiatric consultations and medicines, as early
intervention and prevention is crucial in treating mental
illness,” he said in a statement.

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He noted that under the Mental Health Act, PhilHealth

must “ensure that insurance packages equivalent to
those covering physical disorders of comparable
impact are available to patients affected by mental
disorders.”

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 “Currently, PhilHealth only covers hospitalization
brought about by acute attacks of mental and
behavioral disorders at a package rate of P7,800. We
hope that in the drafting of the IRR, free psychiatric
consultations and medicines shall be made available
for all Filipinos,” Angara said.

Ending social stigma, funding

Senators Francis Pangilinan, Joel Villanueva, and

Sherwin Gatchalian also welcomed the development,
saying the law would make a difference in the lives of
those affected.

"Those ajicted by this health problem should no longer

lurk in the dark.The next crucial step is funding, and we
hope the government will not renege on its
commitment to infuse resources to give life to the law.
Funding is needed to pave the way for mental health
research, diagnosis and treatment," Pangilinan said.

Gatchalian, for his part, said: "I am hopeful that this law
will cause to fade away the unfortunate social stigma
surrounding depression, anxiety, and other mental
health conditions to fade away, so that eventually our
society as a whole will come to accept mental illness
for what it really is – a genuine public health issue that
requires accessible medical care, consistent
government support, and compassionate social
understanding."

Villanueva said that "by making mental health care

accessible down to the barangays and promoting
mental health education in schools and workplaces,
this important piece of legislation would give
awareness regarding mental health and remove social

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 stigma against people with suicidal tendencies."

"We hope that we can save someone's precious life by

the immediate implementation of this landmark law," he
added.

In 2012 alone, the World Health Organization (WHO)

reported that there were 2,558 cases of Filipinos who
died by suicide, or an average of 7 cases per day.
(READ: Why we need a mental health law in PH)

The Department of Health, for its part, reported that one

in 5 Filipino adults has some form of mental illness,
topped by schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety.

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 View On Scribd

1 of 17

– Rappler.com

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 In these changing times, courage and clarity
become even more important.

Take discussions to the next level with Rappler PLUS — your platform for
deeper insights, closer collaboration, and meaningful action.

Sign up today and access exclusive content, events, and workshops curated
especially for those who crave clarity and collaboration in an intelligent,
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As a bonus, we’re also giving a free 1-year Booky

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PHILIPPINES

Sotto: 'If you are a man, you will never be a woman'

Senate President Vicente Sotto III maintains that the SOGIE equality bill, in its current
form, is not likely to get enough support in the Senate

https://www.rappler.com/nation/205425-duterte-signs-mental-health-law-services-philippines 05/09/2019, 9?19 AM

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 Aika Rey
@reyaika

Published 7:06 PM, September

04, 2019
Updated 7:06 PM, September
04, 2019

SENATE LEADER. Senate President Vicente Sotto III says the

SOGIE equality bill will face opposition in the Senate. File photo
by Angie de Silva/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Vicente Sotto

III on Wednesday, September 4, reiterated the dim
chance of the SOGIE (sexual orientation and gender
identity and expression) equality bill in the Senate,
saying that a person born as a man "will never be a
woman."

Sotto made the statement in an interview with reporters

where he weighed in on the SOGIE equality bill which
was being heard by a Senate panel chaired by Senator
Risa Hontiveros at the time. (EXPLAINER: What you
need to know about SOGIE)

"I hate to say this but I have to. If you are a man, you will
never be a woman. No matter what you do because you
cannot reproduce; you cannot give birth; you do not
have ovaries; you will never be a woman," Sotto said,
echoing the position taken by groups opposed to the
bill.

Hontiveros had said in an earlier hearing that "trans

women are women."

Sotto reiterated on Wednesday his belief that the

proposed measure "is a bill against women's rights."

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 He cautioned against comparing LGBTQ+ rights to
women's rights.

"'Wag 'nyo ikumpara yung entirety of the half of the

world to a certain group…. Women cannot be compared
to a group (Don't compare the entirety of the half of the
world to a certain group…Women cannot be compared
to a group)," Sotto said.

The Senate President also said that a majority senators

were not likely to support the measure in its present
form but were more inclined towards the
comprehensive anti-discrimination bill Eled by Senator
Juan Edgardo Angara.

Sotto had earlier said that the SOGIE bill faced rejection
at the Senate as it supposedly "transgresses on
academic freedom, religious freedom, and women’s
rights."

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III had questioned the need

for the measure if the acts of discrimination are already
covered under present laws. – Rappler.com

https://www.rappler.com/nation/205425-duterte-signs-mental-health-law-services-philippines 05/09/2019, 9?19 AM

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 In these changing times, courage and clarity
become even more important.

Take discussions to the next level with Rappler PLUS — your platform for
deeper insights, closer collaboration, and meaningful action.

Sign up today and access exclusive content, events, and workshops curated
especially for those who crave clarity and collaboration in an intelligent,
action-oriented community.

As a bonus, we’re also giving a free 1-year Booky

Prime membership for the next 200 subscribers.

Sign up here

You can also support Rappler without a PLUS membership. Help us stay
free and independent by making a donation:
https://www.rappler.com/crowdfunding. Every contribution counts.

Leave a comment ∠

PHILIPPINES

Discriminated for color, Binay asks: 'Do I need to Dle

a bill protecting people like me?'
Senator Nancy Binay poses the question as she suggests integrating the SOGIE

https://www.rappler.com/nation/205425-duterte-signs-mental-health-law-services-philippines 05/09/2019, 9?19 AM

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 equality bill into the comprehensive anti-discrimination bill

Aika Rey
@reyaika

Published 6:27 PM, September

04, 2019
Updated 6:37 PM, September
04, 2019

NANCY BINAY. Senator Nancy Binay at the Senate hearing on the

SOGIE bill on September 4, 2019. Photo by Angie de
Silva/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Since she has been a victim of

discrimination based on her dark skin, should Senator
Nancy Binay Ele a bill speciEc to this form of
discrimination?

Binay posed this question at the 3rd Senate hearing on

the anti-discrimination bill on Wednesday, September 4,
to drive home her point that the proposed bill to
speciEcally protect the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, and queer) community from discimination
may just be integrated into the comprerehensive anti-
discrimination bill.

"Siguro ‘yung (Perhaps) discrimination should cover

everybody, not just gender. I’ve been discriminated on
my color. Does that mean that I need to Ele a bill to
protect people like me?" she asked.

Binay's skin color had been the subject of memes and

jokes. The senator had also managed to use self-
depracatory jokes to her advantage (READ: Nancy Binay
airs ‘dark’ Christmas ad ahead of 2019 campaign)

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 "Sana 'yung discussion natin {I hope our discussion)
when it comes to discrmination should be more
universal, should be more encompassing," she added at
the hearing.

She then suggested that it might be good to see if

Senate Bill No. 689 or the anti-discrimination bill "may
be harmonized or may be incorporated" into SB 137 or
the comprehensive anti-discrimination bill of Senator
Juan Edgardo Angara.

This way, Binay said, "the concept of discrimination

won't be segmented."

SB 137 seeks to to prohibit discriminatory acts on the

basis of the following: age, racial or ethnic origin,
religious belief, political inclination, social class, SOGIE,
marital status, disability, medical history, and physical
features, among others.

In response to Binay, Senator Risa Hontiveros, the

Senate women and gender equality chairperson, likened
the comprehensive anti-discrimination bill to the Magna
Carta of Women, which she also supports.

She said that after the Magna Carta of Women was

passed, Congress was passing piecemeal legislation to
complement that law.

"We're supporting both bills, the comprehensive anti-

discrimination bill and the SOGIE equality bill. We’re
trying to see how they can complement each other. But
we continue to look at the SOGIE equalty bills to End
particular protections against discrimination based on
SOGIE," Hontiveros said.

In the 17th Congress, the House of Representatives

passed the SOGIE bill on third and Enal reading but its

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 counterpart measure languished in the Senate and did
not even make it past second reading. (EXPLAINER:
What you need to know about SOGIE)

During the hearing on Wednesday, groups opposed to

the SOGIE equality bill reiterated that some provisions
of the proposed measure were against freedom of
speech, religious freedom, and showed "partiality" to a
particular sector.

Groups supporting the measure said it was necessary

to ensure protection for the LGBTQ+ community
against discrimination. – Rappler.com

In these changing times, courage and clarity

become even more important.

Take discussions to the next level with Rappler PLUS — your platform for
deeper insights, closer collaboration, and meaningful action.

Sign up today and access exclusive content, events, and workshops curated
especially for those who crave clarity and collaboration in an intelligent,
action-oriented community.

As a bonus, we’re also giving a free 1-year Booky

Prime membership for the next 200 subscribers.

Sign up here

You can also support Rappler without a PLUS membership. Help us stay
free and independent by making a donation:
https://www.rappler.com/crowdfunding. Every contribution counts.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/205425-duterte-signs-mental-health-law-services-philippines 05/09/2019, 9?19 AM

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 Leave a comment ∠

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